Military Track to Citizenship:
Acceptance Through Service

By

Marjorie Valbrun Staff Reporter of The Wall Street Journal

Updated April 2, 2003 11:59 p.m. ET

WASHINGTON -- When Ena Gomez moved to the U.S. from Ecuador eight years ago, she soon hit many dead ends on the road to the American Dream. She cut errant strings from newly sewn dresses at a New York City clothing factory, cleaned rooms at a Hilton Hotel, and rang up sales at a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant.

"I worked 16 hours a day making $5.50 an hour, and I couldn't get ahead," she says.